Australia has unveiled its 15-player squad for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, with some notable omissions including Steve Smith, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Jason Behrendorff, and Matt Short, among others. Despite being the reigning champions of the 2021 T20 World Cup, Australia’s squad announcement for the tournament in the West Indies and the USA came with surprises.
Left-arm spinner Ashton Agar has been recalled to the squad, despite not featuring in a T20I since the last T20 World Cup held in Australia in 2022. Joining him are Marcus Stoinis, Tim David, and Cameron Green providing all-rounder options alongside Glenn Maxwell.
Mitchell Marsh will lead the team, solidifying his position as a full-time T20I player for Australia, as confirmed alongside the squad announcement.
Selection chair George Bailey expressed confidence in the squad’s balance and its ability to perform well in the tournament, citing their experience and versatility. He highlighted the importance of players like Agar, Stoinis, Maxwell, Green, and Marsh in complementing the frontline attack options.
Bailey acknowledged the difficulty of selecting a squad of just 15 players, noting that many deserving players missed out. He mentioned the likes of Smith, Short, Behrendorff, Aaron Hardie, Spencer Johnson, and Xavier Bartlett, who were all part of extensive discussions during the selection process.
Marsh, who has been serving as Australia’s interim T20I captain for the past year, expressed his honor in leading the squad for a major tournament like the T20 World Cup, emphasizing the team’s recent successes and his hopes for continued triumph.
Australia will commence their T20 World Cup campaign against Oman in Barbados on June 5, followed by Group B matches against England, Namibia, and Scotland.
Australia T20 World Cup 2024 squad
Australia squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa
All teams have the opportunity to make adjustments to their squad until May 25th. After this date, any changes will necessitate approval from the ICC’s Event Technical Committee.